


Master of the New York Sanctum Has A Long Way To Go.

by DoctorCube



Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Doctor Strange (Comics), Marvel
Genre: Doctor Strange (2016) Spoilers, Gen, Stephen is doing his best, doctor strange isn't sorcerer supreme yet, he's learning, why isn't this movie loved more
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-11
Updated: 2018-10-11
Packaged: 2019-07-29 09:19:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,530
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16261262
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DoctorCube/pseuds/DoctorCube
Summary: The Ancient One has passed and Dormammu was defeated.That left Stephen Strange the master of the New York Sanctum.It would help If he had been practicing magic for more than a year.





	Master of the New York Sanctum Has A Long Way To Go.

 

`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-``-`-``-`

The New York sanctum was one of three that formed a barrier around the Earth which would protect it from mystical threats. Therefore they would protect the sanctums which are crucial in protecting the world.

Doctor Stephen Vincent Strange was walking through New York, Wong had sent him on a arrend to get food and scented candles for whatever reason, when he saw it. 

When a sorcerer opens their third eye they can see things that normal people can not. The sorcerers see mystical beings that roam the earth. It was a strange ecosystem of sorts that replicated Earth’s ‘normal’ one. Creatures of magic would eat and use what they want from Earth, and then they’d die later on in their life to make the magic on Earth stronger, but there are some to strong for Earth- they’d actually hurt people and animals. Some are huge and could knock the magic clear out of a sorcerer or it could be very small with the same might, and most times they mean no harm. They are just a bit hungry, but whether they mean to cause damage or not duty calls.

He sees it on a young man. He looks about twenty, but the man didn't matter. It was the magic creature on top of his head that caused Strange’s worry. The creature was literally eating the man’s energy- and probably giving him a migraine. 

Stephen narrowed his eyes at the creature of magic, “ Shoo.”

Of course the creature reacts violently. Why would it not?

He ended up casting four different spells in order for the creature to finally lay down defeated, not to mention that he is covered in weird bluish goop from the creature as it’s last resort. Stephen huffed as he felt something hit the middle of his back.

“ Get a job!” He heard as he looked down at the quarter. He looked back up to see the twenty- something- year old who the creature was on. Only sorcerers with the third eye ability could see the creatures, and Stephen had to admit he probably did look absolutely insane fighting the air.

Still, Stephen sighed and uttered under his breath, “ I already have one.”

He smells horrid.

`-`-`-`-`-`

He walked back into the sanctum and breathed a sigh of relief. He had his hands full of the candles Wong wanted along with the food. He smelled horrible and that weird goop got into Stephen’s hair making it stick up as if he had just rolled out of bed. 

The cloak had flown in when it heard the door shut and seemed to hesitate when it saw him. It’s collar seemed to curl in on itself before making it the rest of the way to Stephen. The sorcerer looked at it for a moment before smiling lightly and walking into one of the many hallways.

He made his way into the kitchen and put the food into the fridge and left the candles on the table. The cloak trailed him in there and was looking at him from across the table.

“ Something I could do for you?” Stephen asks as he turns to look at it, “ What's up with the staring?”

Of course, the cloak couldn’t respond verbally, but once Stephen spoke to it the cloak immediately moved up to him and cocked it’s collar as if it was confused.

“ I fought a magic beetle thing? It.. was harming this guy. I saw it as I was walking to the markets.” Stephen clarifies. Why he had to justify himself to a cloak he’d never understand, but in the back of his head he knew for a fact that not only is it sentient but it is truly  _ alive. _

The cloak seemed to stare at him for a moment before jerking back and forth like it was imitating laughter. Stephen sighed, “ Well, If you are done laughing at me I’d like to take a shower before Wong shows up again.” 

 

`-`-`-`-`-`--`-`-`--`-`

Stephen entered the room and immediately felt the air close in. The child’s parents were worried sick when they called him from the streets. She had been acting weird; calling out to her parents in different languages her parents were sure she didn’t know and screaming in her sleep. Now that Stephen sees her he knows whats wrong. She had been possessed by one of the magic creatures. Which is fine, of course, because he is the Master of the New York Sanctum and he could handle a simple possession. The girl was small and looked frail, had blonde hair, pale skin- which is normal for possessions, so he wasn’t  _ really _ about how strong the creature was.

Stephen opened his third eye and the world became silent except from his own breaths a long with the child’s. He is able to see the creature. It looked strange, like it absorbed the girl in weird aura that would change colors from red to black. The creature and Stephen seemed to make eye contact, and it formed to its true self above the girl. Stephen reacts quickly, “ By the power of the Vishanti I command you begone!” Golden bands and strands wrap around the creature making it cry out with a piercing howl. The creature begins to struggle and howl increasingly louder making the seal harder and harder to hold down. A few moments pass and Stephen felt confident that the seal had finalized, so he lowered his hands. The creature lashed out in one final attempt and managed to catch the sorcerer of guard and broke the seal. Stephen manages to just jump away from the creature as it swung out it’s claw. As stephen dodges he hits his head and upper back against a shelf that unhinged from the wall and falls onto his head. Dazed Stephen calls out the spell once again, but he stumbled through the words and the hand signs. The creature seemed to laugh at him as it narrows its small eyes and begins to lunge into a new attack. 

Stephen quickly conjures a sword to parry the creatures attack. After multiple attacks Stephen felt his hands tremble and tense up with the pressure. He took in a breath to steady his hands with support from magic- which was only so helpful. He manages to push the creature back enough to create breathing room between the two of them. Stephen huffs and pants breathing heavily as he held up the sword in shaking hands, “ Fucking hell.” The creature lashes out again baring its fangs and its claws. Thinking quickly stephen blocked its large claw leaving ample room for the creature to latch onto Stephen’s shoulder with its fangs.

Stephen cries out as the creature bit down and tugged stephen over its shoulder. The next thing the sorcerer knew he was hitting a wall face first and falling onto his knees. The pain in his shoulder blurred his vision and burned all the way up his neck and down his side. Stephen quickly gets up pushing through the pain and conjures a weapon to deflect another oncoming claw. Stephen closes his eyes and breathes, “ I summon forth the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak!” Chaines of red and burgundy wrap around the creature and holds him down to the floor. He quickly moved to the correct stance and calls out, “ By the power of the Vishanti I command you begone!” Stephen watched as the combined forces of the spells made the overall seal stronger and effectively killed the creature. Stephen kept up the spells until the creature turned to ash.

The sorcerer made his way to the young girl who was laying in bed asleep and completely unaware of the fight fought to save and secure her life. He gently shook her awake and smiled slightly at the look she gave him. Yeah, she’s terrified. Why wouldn’t she be; He was just possibly bleeding horribly from his shoulder, wouldn’t be surprised if his entire left shoulder was caked in blood.  He refused to look at it though, it would only make it worse. Then her parents rushed in and Stephen took that as the perfect time to leave via escaping through the window and ignoring all calls of his name.

He was halfway to the sanctum before he felt nauseous. His head felt heavy and his arm felt like it was on fire. He ended up having to use buildings as support as he walked to the Sanctum. He knew he was getting stared at as he walked down the street. The blood was sticky and warm as it slipped down his arm and onto his hand; he ignored the panicked calls and focused on getting home. He finally turned into 117A Bleecker Street and stumbled up the steps then into his Sanctum Sanctorum. 

Stephen continued into the Sanctum and pulled himself up the steps with the help of the rail. His hand covered his wound as he tried to apply pressure and his other hand was being used to try and keep himself up. “ Wong!?” Stephen calls as he pulls himself up the last of the steps leading further into the Sanctum. Stephen’s vision goes from fine to horrid in seconds as he begins to feel even more dizzy.  _ Where is that over protective cloak of his? _ Stephen took in a breath to call out again, but it died in his throat. His eyes slipped close as he fell to the ground, but before he could hit it he felt a very familiar clothe and the voice of a friend. 

Stephen recovered quickly under Wong’s care. -He also got scolded 20 billion times- at least that's what it felt like.- Stephen also had to deal with a pissy cloak because he didn’t bring it along into the fight. All in all, the kid was safe and Stephen got yelled at. Not too bad. 

\----------

Doctor Stephen Strange Master of the New York Sanctum has to attend monthly meetings with the other two masters; especially now that earth no longer has a Sorcerer Supreme. People were skeptical of Stephen as a master- they still are. Word somehow got out that Stephen was able to defeat Dormammu, and students and teachers alike were more than shocked; A student with only a half a year’s teachings was able to defeat the lord of the dark realm? Absolutely impossible, he has got to be using dark magic. Stephen would be offended, but he has done the impossible by legitimate means before; ie, he’s removed a bullet from a man’s brain without technological help, and without harming the man’s brain. The masters remain skeptical- fine-, but Stephen refuses to step down. The Ancient One wanted him here even though he refused earlier. He knows more now; he knows how important this is. He plans to stay.

The meeting was about three hours and they spoke on multiple subjects. They spoke about the students’ progress, the threat of mystical creatures, and the fact that they need a new sorcerer supreme. The problem is that they’ve always had one, and they don’t have an idea of where to start their search. Well, obviously they would be trained in magic and they would be in the higher ranks of mastery. 

“ It should be one who has trained with us, under good tutelage, one who has good conduct, and one who is smart.” The master of the London Sanctum provides. 

“  I agree,” nods the master of the Hong Kong Sanctum, “ however, the person also should be smart alongside wise. A given, yes, but when the time comes to be either smart or wise we need someone who would weigh the scale correctly.”

The two masters hit it off after that. They spoke of an idea Sorcerer supreme who ended up sounding a lot- if not exactly like the Ancient One. 

“ The next Sorcerer Supreme should not be a carbon copy of the Ancient One.” Stephen blurts.

The two others look to Stephen, giving him his full attention.

Stephen clears his throat and shrugs nonchalantly,“ She wasn’t perfect by any means, but she did her best. The next one should be able to take the Ancient One’s best and expand upon it. They should be able to take her pros and her cons and make them into one pro, and take that and make new pros as well as being conscious of creating new cons.” 

Stephen rubbed the back of his neck thoughtfully as the masters looked at him with confusion, “Think of it like broadly: We have a common goal as well as leader who change. The leader should be changed when the time comes, but the goal shouldn’t. The leader’s personality and style are variables, but we know the end goal every time. With this we should find someone who embodies our goal, and make sure they have the proper training to become the Sorcerer Supreme. I’d probably say someone who doesn’t want it or who didn’t come to Karma-Taj for power or greediness. Someone who wants to learn as well as lead the world into mystical peace.” 

The masters looked impressed as they nodded along in agreement. 

Stephen takes it as a win. 

`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`

Stephen came back from his walk with a clear head and a mostly clean body. Leaving the shower for later Stephen headed for the library. He had a book that would require his time, according to Wong, along side a clear and open mind for understanding. Stephen felt as if he was ready as he arrived to the Library. As he walked past students he heard whispers,“ That's him isnt it? He defeated Dormammu by himself?” 

It's nothing new, the subtle pointing and the hushed whispers, but recognition for this didn’t feel the same; he doesn't know how to feel about it. He knows he doesn’t want fans, but he doesn’t want to resent those who are. They should be equal here, or that is what he tells himself. 

He found himself in front of Wong’s station moments later with a frown replaced by a small smile for the librarian. “ That book you were so keen on me reading?” 

Wong stands up and walks towards the back of the library, “ The book of Cagliostro, yes.” 

“ What?” Stephen asks, “ Is that not for the Sorcerer Supreme only?”

“ Yes, but I’ve spoken with the other masters of Sanctums and they agree that one of you should read the book of Cagliostro because it is arguably the most dangerous. We agreed that one should have the knowledge and the reflexes to deal with possibilities this book foresees and provides. We have decided it should be you.”

Stephen stood in silence as the librarian took the book off the rack. He recovers and asks, “ You had a meeting without me- No, no. You decided on me? Why me?” 

Wong looks at Stephen a moment, “ Why not?” 

“ They wouldn’t decide on me, they aren’t even sure that we actually-”

“ You must remain here to read it, so I can still actively guard the collection.” At Stephen’s reaction Wong explains, “ Its just the rules, and I know how much you enjoy breaking them. Therefore you must read it under my supervision.” Wong sets the book in Stephen’s hands. “Your table is beside mine. I suggest we start.”

It took a total of 4 days and 3 hours to read. It would have been done sooner, but Wong demanded Stephen put the book down and take breaks. The book was interesting overall; It was mostly spells and how to counter them with the exception of extensive use of the time stone. Stephen, of course, has most of the spells memorized and made plans to further practice them so he could use them in battle.

When he finished and put the book back Wong looked pleased. “ You’ve done and have matured  well. You listened with little complaint when I told you to rest and never took the book out of sight when a mouth ago you would have begged me to let you take it to New York with you.”

“ Yeah well I decided If the New York Sanctum is attacked. I’d blame you if I wasn’t there,” Stephen quips.

_ Wong smiles. _

`-`--`-`-`--`-`-`-`--`-`--`--`-`-`-`--`-`-`-`

 

Something Stephen learned very quickly is that the cloak isn’t the only sentient relic- not by a longshot. Almost all of them are, and if they can’t move by themselves they give off a magic aura that Stephen can sense. Stephen is Master of the New York Sanctum which holds most of the relics that have been found over the last 100 decades. Stephen has had plenty of encounters with them and most them have been interesting. There are a few relics, however, who have taken a liking to the doctor. Stephen had dropped quickly learning their names- long and complicated and old languages-, but he knows one of them resembles karate belt and the other is a deck of tarot cards. He quickly came to refer them as belt and tarot; original, right?

He was reorganizing the kitchen-who was the man here last?? “The opposite of unorderly,” Stephen would grumble to himself as he cleaned. He noticed Tarot, belt, and cloak behind him on the counter. He regarded them for a moment before going back to the shelves and the pans. They must have taken that for an ‘okay’ because they began- playing? That's the only term for it- with each other. The cloak and belt would fly after each other then stop to poke at Tarot which would send a spark of magic of visible magic towards them. Stephen lasted 10 minutes before snapping, “ Settle down or go outside before you make a mess.” 

The three settled for a moment before resuming their game full force. Stephen let out a deep sigh before turning to the three of them who in turn froze like deer in headlights. “ what did I say?” 

Tarot shot off another burst a magic and started absolute chaos. 

The next thing Stephen knew he had the belt around his wrist, the cloak held to his chest, and a fond smile on his face as he reached for Tarot.

-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`

 

Stephen bit back a sigh as he saw the child. He was young, maybe 8 and was writhing and crying out on the bed. 

Stephen immediately knew the signs and prepared for the worst. He’s been told there has been reports of children and adults alike literally stuck in their dreams. The ‘someone’ goes by Nightmare, and he’s not a joke. Stephen’s read about the dream realm, so when he was told Nightmare rules over it he was immediately cautious. He has managed it before, but only by the skin of his teeth and the help Wong at the last second. 

Stephen, by use of the cloak, levitated into the air and moved into a meditation position. He was quickly able to enter the mind of the boy and was able to access the dream. 

Logically speaking, dreams only were a way to visually see stress or happiness. In the dream realm you are caught in the dreams and they can actually kill you. 

The dream the child was having was weird, but the creature was weirder. The creature reminded him of the spider from  _ The Lord of the Rings _ , but it was arguably larger and had red mucus slipping from its mouth- so maybe not so close to the books.

Stephen quickly gets to work. He begins to cast his spells even before the Spider can sense him, and by the time he does Stephen already has the upper hand.

_ Yeah- that’s still terrifying.  _

Stephen fired off binding spells that missed every time-  _ what the hell-  _ and found himself having the spider to close to comfort. 

The cloak helped him him gain distance as a binding spell finally hits. Taking advantage of this Stephen quickly goes for the offense. He conjures a blade and cuts through the spider. The spider was killed and turned to ash, but something felt off. He exited the boy’s mind and landed on the floor. 

He checked the boy who woke from the dream and found that he was reacting to stimulus from the lights being turned on and answering his questions fine. 

The doctor nodded at the child before his parents came into the room, and once they had he fled quickly; mostly to get away from possible rewards from ecstatic parents. 

_ Something still felt off. _

Stephen arrived at the Sanctum when he finally realized what it was.  _ Nightmare was probing at his mind. _ Stephen, with Wong’s help, was able to block it and cast it away.

“ You’ve stopped another attack of Nightmare’s.”Wong notes as Stephen stands from a meditating position. 

“ No doubt about it now, it seems like he’s getting stronger everyday.” Stephen nods as he looks at the librarian.  

“ And you’ve stopped Nightmare from entering your mind nearly flawlessly.” Wong says.

“ yes? And it was both of us really.” Stephen questions.

“ You’ve advanced greatly.” Wong says with a small nod, “ It's only a matter of time before we allow you to access to the orb of Agamotto.” 

“ There’s a orb?” 

_ Yes, a long way to go. _

**Author's Note:**

> First time I've wrote something of this caliber? It is a test really.   
> Also- why does Doctor Strange not have more love outside Tony? I mean- they both are wonderful, but this man needs to be on his own more!  
> Constructive criticism is always welcome!   
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
